Parolee arrested at Bad Axe hotel

Published 8:00 pm, Tuesday, July 26, 2005

BAD AXE  A 54-year-old Bad Axe man who was released early from a Michigan state prison serving what was a life sentence on a drug offense has been returned this time to the Huron County Jail.

Michael Charles Ward was arraigned in Huron County District Court on one felony charge of accosting a child for immoral purposes and seven other misdemeanor charges, including indecent exposure, furnishing alcohol to a minor and malicious destruction of a building.

Ward was arrested by Bad Axe police officers on July 15 at the Holiday Inn Express in the city of Bad Axe after police responded to a call reporting minors at the hotel were drinking alcohol.

According to police reports, when police officers arrived at the hotel room Ward had rented, they were met by the parents of three Bad Axe-area teenagers. Reports indicate that the parents claimed they discovered Ward inside the room naked from the waste down watching pornographic videos.

When Bad Axe police officers were seeking a warrant from the Huron County prosecutor's office, they claimed Ward offered to pay a 14-year-old girl to have sex with him, and that he furnished alcohol that was consumed by the girl and two other teens who were staying with him at the hotel.

Bad Axe attorney David B. Herrington was appointed to represent Ward in the matter. The most serious charge that Ward faces  accosting a child for immoral purposes  carries a possible sentence of up to four years in prison. If Ward is convicted, the Michigan Department of Corrections is also expected to step in and take some sort of action for Ward violating his parole conditions.

Bond was set in the cases by the district court. However, since Ward is on parole, the Department of Corrections asked he be detained in the Huron County Jail until the matter is resolved. His parole stipulations include that he is not to violate any laws, not to have contact with anyone younger than 16, and he is not to possess any alcohol.

His preliminary examination is scheduled for Sept. 2 in District Court.

Ward was originally sent to prison in March of 1979 to serve a life sentence after being convicted of delivering and manufacturing a narcotic, 650 grams or more. He was paroled in November and returned to the Bad Axe area.